Abstract: A method and apparatus are provided for predictive frame selection supporting enhanced efficiency and subjective quality. The apparatus includes an encoder for encoding a picture using a selection scheme that selects between encoding the picture as a single direction inter predictive picture type and a bi-directional inter predictive picture type based on coding efficiency and a determination of a flickering artifact resulting from coding the picture as the bi-directional inter predictive picture type.

Abstract: A method and system are performed by a processor of an audio-visual device according to instructions stored in a memory of that device that determines identity of a content medium based upon attributes associated with it and a set of user-defined settings associated with the content medium. The processor identifies a set of source-defined settings for configuring the device and selects one set of user-defined settings or the set of source-defined settings for configuring the audio-visual device. In addition, the processor determines if preexisting attributes exist that if it has to override the set of user-defined settings. It then configures one of the set of user-defined or overrides the settings. All channels from a particular network provider utilize the same set of user-defined settings, including channels that have not been visited by a user and future channels that have not yet been created.

Abstract: A method of automatically implementing customized settings for an audio-visual device regarding a particular video program and/or channel is disclosed. The method includes determining an identity of a content medium and/or content; identifying a set of user-defined settings created by a user for configuring the audio-visual device for the content medium and/or content; identifying a set of source-defined settings created by a source of the content medium and/or content for configuring the audio-visual device for the content-medium and/or content; selecting one of the two sets of settings to use for configuring the audio-visual device; and configuring the audio-visual device in accordance with the chosen set of settings.

Abstract: Detection of errors in a video stream occurs by calculating an error detection code, such as a Cyclic Redundancy Check (CRC) code over a group of not more than N macroblocks in a slice of the stream prior and after transmission, where N is an integer greater than zero but less than the total number of macroblocks in the slice. A comparison of the error detection codes reveals whether any errors exist in the group of macroblocks. If the group has no errors, normal decoding occurs. If the macroblock group has an error, then the macroblock group, and the remaining blocks in the slice undergo error concealment.

Abstract: A system and method for adjusting the depth or view of three dimensional (3D) images in streaming video is provided. The invention enables the 3D streaming video client to change among different 3D disparities without any knowledge of the disparity maps or requiring any image processing at the client. Multiple versions of the video sequence are pre-encoded with each version representing a different disparity. The disparity of the 3D image may be changed on-the-fly to a selected rendering of a particular disparity. The 3D video player may switch among disparities seamlessly during playback.

Abstract: The present invention concerns a method and associated apparatus for reclaiming storage space on a personal video recorder using scalable video coding. When the personal video recorder reaches a storage threshold, enhancement layers of lower priority recordings may be removed to reduce the storage 5 space required for continued storage of those recordings. Various priority schemes may be utilized to determine which recordings should undergo layer removal, and which layers should be removed.

Abstract: A method for accurately measuring flicker, by first determining an original value based on a difference between pixel values in corresponding locations in a first picture and a second picture. Next, a reconstructed value is determined, based on a difference between pixel values in corresponding locations in a reconstruction from an encoding of the first picture and a reconstruction from an encoding of the second picture. Then, a determination is made to include a comparison value, which is determined on a difference between the reconstructed value and the original value, in a measurement of flicker between the first picture and the second picture.

Abstract: A system and method for recovering from data loss are described including monitoring a first bit rate video data bit stream to determine if there is frame loss or damage, multiplexing decoding parameters of a second bit rate video data bit stream, the second bit rate video data bit stream and the first bit rate video data bit stream, if there is frame loss or damage, demultiplexing the first bit rate video data bit stream and the second bit rate video data bit stream, decoding the first bit rate video data bit stream, removing damaged frames from the first bit rate video data bit stream, decoding the second bit rate video data bit stream, up-sampling frames from said processed second bit rate video data bit stream if said processed second bit rate video data bit stream has a lower resolution than said processed first bit rate video data bit stream and merging frames from the second bit rate video data bit stream and the first bit rate video data bit stream.

Abstract: A digital A/V apparatus provides reduced channel changes times and maintains synchronization between audio and video content during a channel change event.

Abstract: A digital video apparatus provides reduced channel change times. According to an exemplary embodiment, the digital video apparatus includes at least one receiver for receiving first and second video streams representing the same program, wherein the first video stream has at least one characteristic different from the second video stream; a first signal processor for processing the first video stream to generate a first processed video stream; a second signal processor for processing the second video stream to generate a second processed video stream having a delay with respect to the first processed video stream; a renderer for rendering the second processed video stream responsive to a channel change command; and a switch for switching from the second processed video stream to the first processed video stream after the renderer begins rendering the second processed video stream, and thereby causing the renderer to begin rendering the first processed video stream.

Abstract: A method and apparatus are described including receiving a coded packet of content associated with a layer, receiving feedback information regarding channel conditions and applying hybrid automatic repeat request to deliver the packet based on said feedback information. The method and apparatus wherein applying hybrid automatic repeat request layer-wise further includes determining if a resource is exhausted, scheduling delivery of layered coded content packets for a layer, if the resource has not been exhausted, determining if all layered coded content packets for the layer have been transmitted, proceeding to the first determining step, if all layered coded content packets for a layer have not been transmitted, determining if an acknowledgement message has been received from a user device, determining if the resource is exhausted, if no acknowledgement has not been received and scheduling delivery of layered coded forward error correction packets, if the resource has not been exhausted.

Abstract: A system and method for adjusting the depth or view of three dimensional (3D) images in streaming video is provided. The invention enables the 3D streaming video client to change among different 3D disparities without any knowledge of the disparity maps or requiring any image processing at the client. Multiple versions of the video sequence are pre-encoded with each version representing a different disparity. The disparity of the 3D image may be changed on-the-fly to a selected rendering of a particular disparity. The 3D video player may switch among disparities seamlessly during playback.

Abstract: A content display/digital signage system is provisioned using mobile communications technology by a method and system including a mobile communications device for collecting provisioning information from the content display system using a local communications channel and communicating the collected provisioning information to a server providing at least content to the content display system and a server for communicating data intended for the content display system to the mobile communications device. In one embodiment of the method and system of the present invention, the mobile communications device communicates the data intended for the content display system to the content display system using the local communications channel when the mobile device is once again in the proximity of the content display system.

Abstract: An apparatus and method for encoding and decoding a broadcast data stream that includes encrypted advertisement cue messages. The encrypted advertisement cue message data representing a advertisement to be inserted into a stream and data representing an insertion time within said broadcast data stream that is associated with said advertisement. The advertisement cue messages are encrypted and encrypted using a encryption technique. The encrypted advertisement cue message masks the insertion time for the advertisement and prevents automatically skipping of the advertisement data.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a full-reference (FR) objective method for assessing perceptual quality of decoded video frames in the presence of packet losses and coding artifacts. A method of assessing perceptual quality is provided. First, a value indicating an amount of distortion in a corresponding portion is accessed. Then, that value is classified as packet-loss distortion or coding-artifact distortion. Next, the classified value is modified to account for visibility differences of the human visual system, based on the classification, and then the modified values are combined for the multiple portions, to form a value indicating a total amount of distortion for the multiple portions.

Abstract: An encoding methodology for a video encoder encodes target light change (TLC) frames in order to improve the quality of the resulting decoded video. Backward prediction is applied instead of forward prediction to the frames that are detected as TLC frames. Additionally, the last frame of the TLC activity is forced to use only intra-coding modes.

Abstract: At a receiving device after a power-on or physical channel change, the physical channel is monitored for activity relating to services for which electronic service guide (ESG) data had been previously cached. The ESG data for a service will include some service identification information, such as an interne protocol (IP) address associated with the service. The monitoring of the physical channel for activity related to a service can be done by listening for the IP address associated with the service. If activity is detected, the service is determined to be active and its cached ESG data valid. Service acquisition data included in the cached ESG data is used to present the service to the user. The invention thus allows the presentation of services to the user using cached ESG data as soon as the services are detected to be active, without the need to wait for the reception of fresh ESG data.

Abstract: A method for accurately measuring flicker, by first determining an original value based on a difference between pixel values in corresponding locations in a first picture and a second picture. Next, a reconstructed value is determined, based on a difference between pixel values in corresponding locations in a reconstruction from an encoding of the first picture and a reconstruction from an encoding of the second picture. Then, a determination is made to include a comparison value, which is determined on a difference between the reconstructed value and the original value, in a measurement of flicker between the first picture and the second picture.

Abstract: In the transmission of streams of data, such as coded video, staggercasting, in which a primary and a secondary stream are transmitted at some relative time offset (i.e., “staggered”), allows a receiver to pre-buffer frames of the secondary stream to replace frames of the primary stream that may have been lost in transmission. In an illustrative implementation, staggercasting is performed in which the secondary stream contains a subset of the coded video frames transmitted in the primary stream. The primary stream contains reference frames, which are essential to properly decoding the video data, as well as disposable frames which are not. The secondary stream, however, contains copies of the reference frames and may contain copies of some of the disposable frames or no disposable frames at all. When frames of an interleaved stream of the primary and secondary streams are lost, such an arrangement will allow reconstruction at the receiver of an uninterrupted video stream at a temporarily reduced frame rate.

Abstract: A method and apparatus are provided for predictive frame selection supporting enhanced efficiency and subjective quality. The apparatus includes an encoder for encoding a picture using a selection scheme that selects between encoding the picture as a single direction inter predictive picture type and a bi-directional inter predictive picture type based on coding efficiency and a determination of a flickering artifact resulting from coding the picture as the bi-directional inter predictive picture type.